Flat tubeless ionization conductor sign



June 28, 1932. F. HOTCHNER FLAT TUBELESS IONIZATION CONDUCTOR SIGN FiledApril 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR June 2, 1932. F. HOTCHNER1,355,253

FLAT TUBELESS IONIZATION CONDUCTOR SIGN Filed April 15, 1929 sSheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN-TOR June 28, 1932. F. HOTCHNER FLAT TUBELESSIONIZATION CONDUCTOR SIGN Filed April 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORPatented June 28, 1932 PATENT; OFFICE FRED HOTCHN ER, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA FLAT TUBELESS IONIZATION' CONDUCTOR SIGN Application filedApril 15,

This invention relates to an ionization conductor sign of a typesuitable for display advertising or ornamentation, altho it is to beunderstood that the novel features claimed can be applied to many otheruses in the discharge tube art.

One object of the invention is to provide means of forming flat sidedionization eonductor devices. As applied to the display art the objectis to provide a flat sign of the general type described in a singleself-supporting mechanical unit. Heretofore discharge tube signs wereformed by bending glass tubes into the shape of the desired message ordesign. Such units were mechanically weak, could be transported onlyunder the most severe limitations and required special provision formechanical support upon installation. In the present invention the useof tubing is entirely dispensed with. This result is made possible bythe new and novel provisions for the fabrication of a vacuum vessel withextended flat sides and having therein means to guide a discharge over atortuous path representing the desired display matter.

Another object is to produce a display of the general type described inwhich the depth of the display is maintained at a minimum. With theprior devices it is necessary in mak ing cross over and return bends inthe tubing to provide a minimum clearance so great that the display,when viewed from a sharp angle loses its definition. In the present invention it is possible to reduce the depth to a value small enough toentirely overcome this efiect and provide displays that are clear andreadable at practically as great an angle as a true flat display couldbe distinguished at.

Another object is to provide a discharge display in which the electrodeterminal will be self-contained and protected from injury.

Another object is to provide a unitary display which will be transparentand in which the illuminated matter appears out of a clear field with noapparent connection with any solid body.

in the prior devices a continuous line of 53 tube must be provided fromone terminal to 1929. Serial No. 355,266.

the other. Wherever illumination is not desired, as between letters, orthe approaches to punctuation marks, or beyond the ends of theinscription approaching the terminals, it

is necessary to cover the tube with a coating of opaque paint or thelike. The general appearance of all such signs was that of an unfinished job. This has been heretofore considered as an essentialcharacteristic of the devices. The present invention overcomes thedisadvantages of such construction entirely and in addition providesmeans of conserving the better part of the energy that was wasted in thesections thus rendered o aque.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a uniform intensityof illumination of character outlines thruout the display. In the priordevices where the return bends occurred the illumination was double thatof the places where only one line of tubing existed. In the presentinvention the intensity of each portion of the doubled over parts of thedischarge path is substantially reduced so that the total is equivalentto the intensity of the single portions, with a corresponding saving inelectric energy.

Other objects are attained in the provision of novel features ofconstruction in furtherance of the above stated and other ends, said 0features of construction constituting contributions to the general artof constructing vacuum vessels. In the specification below the new andnovel features of the invention are shown as applied to aparticulardevice, that is, a display; but it is to be understood that they areapplicable in many other ways in the arts and industries and theinvention is not limited by the particular applications or formsillustrated, but only by the prior art and the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a sign letter madeaccording to this invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded View of the plates or sheets of dielectricmaterial forming the main structure of the device.

Figure 3 is a cross section of a portion of the sign shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a corner 10 of the sign showing thetubulation as it appears after it is sealed off after the dischargepassage has been evacuated through it and charged with a suitableionization conductor. Figure 5 is a cross section of the tubulation.

Figure 6 is an elevation of a complete sign made according to thisinvention.

Figure 7 is a cross section of the same taken on the line 77, Figure 6.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are elevations of the three central sheets or platesof dielectric material through which are formed the discharge passagesof the sign shown in Figure 6.

Figure 11 is an elevation of a modified form of this invention appliedto an individual letter.

Figure 12 is a vertical cross section of the same taken on the line1212, Figure 11, showing the discharge passages.

Figure 13 is a horizontal cross section of the same taken on the line1313, Figure 11, showing the electrode chambers.

Figure 14 is an exploded view of the dielectric plates forming thedischarge passage structure of the sign shown in Figure 11.

Figure 15 is an illustration of a special application of one of the newfeatures of this invention illustrated in the preceding figures.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate an individual signletter made according to this invention. This letter may be installed asa unit in a display. The particular method of mounting and connecting tothe circuit are optional as many different methods may be used withsatisfactory results. The unit is self-supporting, and hence may be madeto stand by itself secured only at one edge. Contact can be made at anypoint around the edge.

The letter is made up of five plates of transparent, dielectricmaterial, indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, assembled in astack. The central plate 3 is larger than the others. On each side ofthis plate one of the electrode frames 6 or 7 are secured by cementationor fusion or any other suitable method. The two frames being at oppositepotentials are separated from each other by the extended portion 8 ofthe center plate. A long leakage path is thus provided between theframes.

The frames are made with a Z shaped cross section, one leg 9 beingsecured to the plate 3, and the opposite leg 10 being secured to theouter face of the outside plate, either plate 1 or plate. 5.

As shown in Figure 2, the three inner plates are provided with passages11, 12 and 13, communicating with each other when the plates areassembled to provide a continuous passage, through the structure fordischarges following the outline of a letter or character as indicatedby 14, Figure 1. The passage 11 in plate 2 terminates in an enlargedopening 15, forming an electrode chamber in conjunction with the innerface 20 of the frame 6. Likewise the passage 13 in the plate 4terminates in an enlarged opening 16 forming with the inner face 17 ofthe frame 7 another electrode chamber. 1

In order to evacuate the letter, a tubulation is provided as shown inFigures 4 and 5, A portion of the frame 7 is pressed'out into a cratershaped protrusion 21 and the end of a glass tube 18 is fused to it. Thetube is tipped oil? at 19 in the usual manner after pumping and fillingthe letter with a suitable ionization conductor. By the term ionizationconductor I have reference to any fluid characterized by the emission ofradiation upon the passage of current therethrough generated by theaction of ionization and recombination set up in the fluid bythecurrefit. Typical of such fluids are the rare gases, vapors of certainmetals, vapors of certain organic compounds and air as well ascombinations of these mediums.

Figure 6 is an elevation of a sign made according to this invention inwhich a complete word in script is represented by the discharge. Figure7 is a cross section of the sign illustrating one method of providingfor resistance to the ressure of the atmosphere over sections 0 the signwhere openings of considerable extent exist within the structure. Thewidth of the discharge path over the greater part of its length canusually be made sufiiciently small as compared with the thickness of thecover sheets that no other provision than the flat cover itself need bemade to resist the air pressure. This sign is also prpvided with fivesheets of dielectric material, 26, 27 28, 29 and 30; and two frameelectrodes 31 and 32.

The plate 27, shown in Figure 8, has the passages 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and38 cut through it. Each of these passages except 37 and 38, terminatesin such a manner as to meet a hole cut through the plate 28, indicatedrespectively by the numerals 39, 40, 41 and 42, as shown in Figure 9.The passages 37 and 38 terminate in enlarged openings 43 and 44 cutthrough the plate 27, which openings communicate with the holes 45 and46 in the plate 28. The openings in plate 28, in the order given,communicate with the passages 47, 48, 49 and 50, the enlarged opening51, leading to the passage 52, and the opening 53, in the plate 29, asshown in Figure 10.

Another enlarged opening 54 in the plate 27 leads to the beginning ofthe passage 33. The openings 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 in the plate 28complete the communications necessary to provide a continuous tortuouspassage through the structure from the opening 54 to 53. The opening 54forms an electrode chamber with the frame 31 and the opening 53 forms anelectrode chamber with the frame 32. Y In order to resist the pressureof the atmosphere where the enlarged openings 00*" nosity thereof whilestill providing a path for continuous conduction.

the luminosity of a discharge is not of necessity a function ofconduction as we may have conduction over a space in an ionizationconductor with practically no luminosity. In this device we are notdepending entirely upon reducing the unit brillian'cy by spreading thedischarge, but can by the proper selection of conditions and dimensionsprovlde for an absolute reduction of the total light given off in theintended non-luminous portions to an exceedingly small value. Anadvantage is here gained in that the resistance of the intendednon-luminous portions is lowcred and energy is conserved. This is adecided improvement over the prior art as exemplified by signs made offormed tubing in which the connecting portions of the tubes consumetheir full energy per unit length and are rendered opaque by paintingout.

In this invention means are provided to make a sign in which thecharacters stand out of a transparent background with no apparentconnection with any sourceof energy and no apparent connections betweenthe characters.

In Figure 11 another form of this invention is illustrated. Three sheetsof dielectric material are here used. Numeral indicates an individualletter in which 71 indicates the central sheet and 72 and 73, the facesheets, as shown by the section in Figure 12. The passages for thedischarge are formed by grooves or channels formed in the face sheetsand holes through the center sheet. As shown by the section in Figure 13and the exploded View in Figure 14, the electrode chambers are formed byenlarged bulges in the face sheets indicated by 74 and 75 correspondingto the electrode frames 76 and 77 respectively. The grooves in the frontsheet 72 are indicated 'by the numerals 78 and 79. The connecting holesthrough the central sheet 71 are indicated by 80, 81 and 82. The groovesin the back sheet 73 are indicated by 83 and 84. The tubulation throughwhich the discharge passage is evacuated and charged with a suitableionization conductor is indicated by 85. The relative cross section ofthe electrode chambers as compared with the main discharge paths-are soselected that, with a given nature and pressure of ioniza- It is a'fact'that tion conductor, the effective luminosity is con fined to themain discharge channels.

In order to provide for a uniform a )pearing outline, provision is madefor re ucing the intensity of the illumination in the channels at theplaces where they are doubled.

. As shown in Figure 12 by numerals 84 and 78, the cross section of thechannels is increased in area at the doubled over portions so that lessenergy is consumed in each channel and less light is given out in eachchannel but the combined illumination of the two channels issubstantially equal in practice to that given out by the single channelas indi cated by 79 in Figure 12.

In the practice of this invention these signs may be made in manydifferent forms. For instance the type of individual letter illustratedin Figure 11 may be installed in frames as a part of a vertical sign, ora horizontal sign and it may contact with the supply terminals at anypoint around the frame. The sign can be made as a single unit fabricatedsign in which letters and designs appear out of the transparent sheet astho unconnected with any source of supply and thus providing an uniqueeffect never before secured with ionization conductor lights.

A special application of one of the features of this invention is shownin Figure 15, in which 90 indicates a letter formed of tubing in whichthe tubing of the doubled over portions as indicated by numerals 91, 92and 93 is enlarged in order that the luminosity of such portions will besubstantially equal to that of the single tube portions indicated by 91, 95 ands96. As used'herein, the term display pattern is to beunderstood as including any -letter, character, figure, legend, ornamentor design, or any combination of said devices, and also as including thepassageway in the lamps having the form of said devices.

IVhile I have shown my invention in a plurality of different forms, itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is susceptible ofvarious other modifications without departing from the spirit thereofand I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placedthereuponlas are imposed by the prior art or are set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum electric or ionization conductor device, an envelopehaving a wall incapable in itself of resisting the difference in thepressure on the inside and on the outside of said wall, and a dischargeguiding device within said envelope supporting said wall against theunbalanced pressure aforcsaid; said discharge guiding device havingportions recessed away from said wall to provide a discharge paththerebetween; the width of the portions of said wall remainingunsupported by direct contact with said discharge uiding device byvirtue of the existence of said recessed portions being of such lowvalue that said unsupported portions of said wall remain self-supportingagainst the aforesaid difference of pressure.

2. In a vacuum electric or ionization con ductor device, an envelopehaving an extended wall incapable of itself resisting the difference inpressure between the inside of said envelope and the outside thereof,discharge passage ridges formed in said wall bul ing outwardly, and aplate of material within said envelope in connection with said wallcompleting the discharge passage with said ridges and supporting saidwall.

3. In a vacuum gaseous, or vapor electric device, an envelope having awall of insuf-' ficient thickness to resist, if flat, the difference inpressure between the inside and outside of said envelope, a dischargeguiding passage within said envelope along said wall, said wall oversaid passage having such a contour that it can resist said difference inpressure.

4. In a vacuum gaseous, or vapor electric device an envelope having awall of insufficient thickness to resist, if fiat, the difference inpressure between the inside and outside of said envelope, a dischargeguiding passage within said envelope along said wall, said wall oversaid passage having an outward bulge so that it can resist saiddifference in pressure.

5. A tubeless ionization conductor display comprising a plurality ofplates of dielectric material having therebetween a discharge passageextending over a portion of the area outlined by said plates, saidplates being sealed to prevent leakage to said passage, and an electrodestructure closing the end opening from said passage and completing thesealing of said passage, said electrode structure being an integral partof the total sealing means for said plates.

6. In a vacuum electric device, a structure including a plurality ofplates of dielectric material assembled together in juxtaposition toform a stack, there being suitable formations in at least one of saidplates to form a chamber within said structure, and a metallic sealingmember extending around the edge of said stack sealed to the outsideplates and closing the joints between the plates from the atmosphere,said sealing member being provided with a port opening in communicationwith said chamber and a tubular member of vitreous material sealed tothe said metallic sealing member around said opening through which saidchamber may be evacuated.

7 A tubeless, ionization conductor display device including a pluralityof plates of dielectric material assembled together in juxtaposition toform a stack, at least one of said plates having a suitable formation ina joining face thereof providing a discharge passage vthrough saiddevice extending up to an edge of said stack, an ionization conductor insaid passage, and means around the edge of said stack to seal the spacebetween said plates from the atmosphere, said means including an elementof metallic material closing the said passage at the end aforesaid atthe edge of the stack and serving as an electrode to convey current tosaid ionization conductor.

8. A tubeless, ionization conductor display device including a pluralityof plates of dielectric material assembled together in juxtaposition toform a stack, an inner plate of said stack being of greater extent andextending beyond the edges of the rest of said plates, there beingsuitable formations in said plates providing spaces communicating witheach other to form a continuous passage for a discharge through saidstack, each end of said passage terminating at an edge of said stack onopposite sides of the said inner plate, an ionization conductor in saidpassage, and a sealing element on each side of said inner plateextending around the edge of said stack sealed to said inner plate andthe corresponding outer plate and including an element of metallicmaterial closing the corresponding end of said passage and serving as anelectrode to convey current to said ionization conductor.

9. A tubeless, ionization conductor device including a plurality ofplates of dielectric material assembled together in juxtaposition toform a stack, said plates having suitable formations in their joiningfaces providing spaces within said device communicating with each otherto form a discharge passage through said device, an end of said passageextending up to and terminating at an edge of said stack, an ionizationconductor in said passage, and a sealing frame of conducting materialextending around the edge of said stack forming a vacuum tight seal forthe space therewithin, said rim serving as an electrode to conveycurrent to said ionization conductor.

10. In an ionization conductor device, a pair of plates of dielectricmaterial in juxtaposition forming a stack, one of said plates having anoutwardly arching formation extending over a course following aninscription forming with the other plate a discharge passage in the formof said inscription within said device, means to seal the passage thusprovided, an ionization conductor in said passage, and means to passcurrent through said passage.

11. In an ionization conductor device, three plates of dielectricmaterial in juxtaposition forming a stack, each of the outside plateshaving an outwardly arching formation extending over a courserepresenting a portion of an inscription, there being a hole forming adischarge passage in cooperation with the inner surface of one of saidsheets, said means supporting said sheet against said unbalancedpressure except over said passage, said sheet being provided with anoutwardly arching formation over portions of said passage to preventmechanical breakdown due to the unbalanced pressure.

FRED HOTCHNER.

an inscription, there being holes through the central plate connectingthe chambers provided by said formations into a continuous dischargepassage through said device, means to seal said passage from theatmosphere, an ionization conductor in said passage, and means to passcurrent through said passage.

13. In an ionization conductor device, a plurality of plates ofdielectric material in juxtaposition forming a stack, there beingsuitable formations in said plates whereby upon the assembly of saidplates a tortuous passage for a discharge is provided through saidstack, said passage traversing a. course delineating a display patternin which is included an element which is preferably to ap-- pear whensaid device is activated as though disconnected from the rest of thepattern, said element being delineated by a hole through one of saidplates included in said passage, each portion of said passage adjacentsaid hole eing on opposite sides of the plate through which said hole isformed and of cross sectional area materially greater than that of saidhole, an ionization conductor juxtaposition forming a stack, .therebeing suitable'formations insaid plates whereby upon the assembly ofsaid plates a tortuous. passage for a discharge is providedthrough insaid passage and means to pass current therethrough.

14. In an ionization conductor device, a plurality of plates ofdielectric material in said stack, said passage'traversing a coursedelineating a display pattern in which is included a portion which ispreferably to appear as non-luminous when said device is activated, saidportion occurring in a plate second from one of the outer plates of saidstack and being of enlarged-width and opening toward said outer plate,said outer plate at said portion being provided with an outwardlyarching formation, an ionization conductor in said passage andmeans topass current therethrough.

15. In a vacuum electric or ionization conductor device, an envelopeincluding outer sheets subjected to a difference in pressure between theinside and outside of said envelope, said sheets being of insufiicientthickv nessto be capable of themselves of resisting the unbalancedpressure thereon, and means wlthin said envelope provided with a recess

